Current:Home > reviewsMontana man mauled by a grizzly bear gets to go home after five weeks in the hospital. -Achieve Wealth Network
Montana man mauled by a grizzly bear gets to go home after five weeks in the hospital.
View
Date:2025-04-13 02:44:49
A hunter who was attacked by a grizzly bear in Montana's Custer Gallatin National Forest will go home after five weeks in the hospital where he received jaw reconstruction surgery, in addition to other procedures, the hunter, his family and doctors said at a news conference.
Rudy Noorlander, 61, was tracking deer with a group of people on Sept. 8, near Yellow Mule Trail about 50 miles southwest of Bozeman, Montana, when a grizzly bear attacked him. According to the Associated Press, the grizzly bear bit off part of his jaw.
First responders arrived in a helicopter and transferred him to a nearby hospital in Bozeman, Montana. After emergency surgery, he moved to the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City.
Noorlander's daughter, Katelynn Davis, spoke for him at a University of Utah Hospital news conference. According to Davis, Noorlander was prepared with a gun and bear spray but needed more time to stop the bear from attacking.
She explained that the only thing that helped Noorlander was that he was with a group that could scare the grizzly bear away.
Recent bear attack:73-year-old woman attacked by bear near US-Canada border, officials say; park site closed
Jaw reconstruction surgery
Dr. Hillary McCrary, a surgeon at the Huntsman Cancer Hospital in Utah, was present for the news conference. She explained that because his lower jaw and larynx sustained several injuries in the attack, Noorlander underwent many surgeries to correct his jaw, including a reconstruction surgery.
"We took a portion of his fibula bone and some of his skin with an artery and a vein and hooked that to an artery and a vein in the neck," said Dr. McCrary." And then my partner Dr. Cannon took some of the skin's soft tissue and transplanted that to the head and neck to reconstruct his lower lip."
Dr. Mccrary commended Noorlander on his optimism through his surgeries and recovery journey, noting that Noorlander wants to fight through his recovery.
Plans for the future
Noorlander will be able to speak again; however, because of the intensive surgery and trauma to the area around his vocal folds, there is no specific timeline for when Noorlander will fully talk again, according to Dr.McCarthy.
During the news conference, Noorlander answered questions by writing on a whiteboard. Davis was present at the press conference to speak on his behalf.
"The things that give him hope and motivation to get through this is family and life," said Davis. "My job proves that most people are good, and I can't wait to get back to it and win round two."
According to Davis, Noorlander plans to return to work and where the attack happened. It was not his first encounter with a bear; he had been walking the trail years before the attack.
Davis explained that her father would like to write a book one day and jokingly admits that he would like Cole Hauser from the hit TV show "Yellowstone" to play him in a movie.
"Only by the hands of God am I here; I've had a lot of inspirations, and I felt the need to share my story with others," said Noorlander. "Believe it or not, I believe this attack answered my prayers. And, potentially, it can help someone from going through something similar."
veryGood! (11)
Related
- Elon Musk's skyrocketing net worth: He's the first person with over $400 billion
- Donald Trump may be stuck in a Manhattan courtroom, but he knows his fave legal analysts
- Alexis Lafreniere own goal lowlight of Rangers' shutout loss to Panthers in Game 1
- Kyle Larson faces additional obstacles to completing historic IndyCar/NASCAR double Sunday
- Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time
- More remains identified at suspected serial killer's Indiana estate, now 13 presumed victims
- Leaders of Northwestern, UCLA and Rutgers to testify before Congress on campus protests
- Are you spending more money shopping online? Remote work could be to blame.
- Tree trimmer dead after getting caught in wood chipper at Florida town hall
- Nebraska sues TikTok for allegedly targeting minors with addictive design and fueling a youth mental health crisis
Ranking
- Nevada attorney general revives 2020 fake electors case
- 'Seinfeld' star Michael Richards reflects on aftermath of racism scandal: 'It hasn't been easy'
- Coast Guard says Alaska charter boat likely capsized last year after flooding, killing 5
- U.S. existing home sales drop 1.9% in April, pushed lower by high rates and high prices
- Trump invites nearly all federal workers to quit now, get paid through September
- Senate confirms 200th Biden judge as Democrats tout major milestone
- Leaders of Northwestern, UCLA and Rutgers to testify before Congress on campus protests
- NBA legend John Stockton has COVID-related 'free speech' lawsuit thrown out by judge
Recommendation
NHL in ASL returns, delivering American Sign Language analysis for Deaf community at Winter Classic
North Carolina House pauses passage of bill that would ban masking for health reasons
Graduating seniors seek degrees in climate change and more US universities deliver
Alexis Lafreniere own goal lowlight of Rangers' shutout loss to Panthers in Game 1
From family road trips to travel woes: Americans are navigating skyrocketing holiday costs
Man indicted after creating thousands of AI-generated child sex abuse images, prosecutors say
Kourtney Kardashian Details What Led to Emergency Fetal Surgery for Baby Rocky
Wind towers crumpled after Iowa wind farm suffers rare direct hit from powerful twister